Day 32 – Unique Gifts

There is no question that Jesus is concerned with how you treat others. We’ve seen that message throughout his parables, but he’s concerned with much more than that. He’s concerned with how you’ve used the gifts that he has given you to carry out his work, to be his hands and feet and heart on this earth until the day that he returns.

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

I believe each of us was placed on this earth with a plan, a purpose for our lives, and certain unique gifts that we can share with others to make God’s presence known, and to make like life better for ourselves and those precious ones around us. Some of us have been born with many visible gifts, extraordinary gifts, and others of us have been born with small, even unnoticeable gifts, but we all have gifts. The important message of this parable, shared by Jesus, is do not be afraid, or hindered, from sharing whatever gift we have. We need to put it out there, and put it into investing in others, so that it can be multiplied and compounded into something greater! We are promised that if we are faithful with a little, we will be given much! Can you imagine standing before Jesus, the Lord of the Universe, and hearing those sweet words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”

Rev. Andy Bales

President/CEO of Union Rescue Mission